The 4th of Farvardin is the birthday of Professor Dariush Farhoud, a specialist in genetics, psychology, anthropology, and ethics, and a full member of the Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences and a permanent member of the Third World Academy of Sciences in Trieste, Italy.
He obtained a Ph.D in human genetics from Mainz, germany in 1972, the post of professor in medical genetics from Munich University in 1991, and is the founder of the human genetics group in tehran University of Medical sciences in 1352 (1973).
In 1973 Prof Farhoud was recognized as one of the most successful graduates in this field in Germany, and this led the mayor of one of the cities in germany to invite him to establish a medical center. However, he turned down all these research opportunities in Germany and return to Iran in 1973, to establish the first chair in tehran University for genetic science.
He opened the first genetic clinic in iran in 1975 and won awards in Kharazmian international festival in 1990, Ebn sina Festival in 1989 and in Tazi Festival in 2003.
Professor Farhoud is also a member of the Ethics Committee in Medical Genetics of the World Health Organization of Geneva since 1373 and a member of the Bioethics Committee of the National Commission for UNESCO since 1382. Dr. Dariush Farhoud, the father of genetics in Iran, believes that instead of the term “brain drain” the term “gene drain” should be used; the danger that is threatening our society is the loss of intelligent genes. Brain drain means loss of fruit, but gene drain means loss of seeds.
Since 1981, he has been the editor of the Iranian Journal of Public Health and the winner of the editor’s award from one of the famous international magazines (in English language) in 2009. He also won the honorary medal for 30 years of service as editor of the Iranian Public Health magazine, in 2010, and also for being editor of the magazine for handicapped children and the magazine on ethics in science and technology. Dr Farhoud was born in 1939, in tehran.He spent his ghigh school years in Alborz and Dar-al-fonun high schools, and often bragged about being an Alborz and Dar-al-fonun graduate. The teachers and graduates of Dar-al-fonun still hold their monthly meetings in his presence. In addition, it has been many years that lovers of Iran history and culture hold weekly meetings with him, to have review and critique of famed Iranian characters and also research on Iranian celebrations; Tirgan, Mehregan and Esfandgan celebrations are held with his support.
Among his distinguished fellow students and friends Prof Samiei, a German based brain surgeon, Fanaie, Rahmanzadeh, and Tinger Nagel, nobel prize, winner can be mentioned. More than 20,000 students in various medical fields have been his students. He has written more than 120 scientific articles in English language.
Dr Farhoud has authored many books, names of some of which are: Medical Genetics, Turner Syndrome, Genomics and Nutrition, but what he always mentions as his achievement is a collection of books named “Cultural Iran”.
The encyclopedia of Cultural Iran, in 10 volumes, is one of his outstanding works. Because of his love and attachment to Iran, he has spent 14 years of time writing and editing this remarkable collection. The culture of Iran has always been his concern, so much so that in his memoirs, he says that when he returned to Iran from Germany after many years, he rubbed his face to the earth of his homeland. For the sake of serving cultural Iran, he introduced this name to Iranians and the world by writing this collection, establishing the Association of Cultural Iran and supporting those who are active on this mission.
In the Zoroastrian calendar, the fourth day of each month is named Shahrivar. According to tradition whenever the name of the day and name of the month are same, that day was honored, praised and the good creatures of Ahura Mazda were worshiped. The equality of the day of Shahrivar with the name of Shahrivar in the Zoroastrian calendar was called Shahrivargan. Shahrivargan celebration, the day of Shahrivar, from the month of Shahrivar, which is the 30th day of Amordad and is called the powerful Amshaspand “Xšathra vairya,” meaning the heavenly country or the ideal and worthy monarchy.
In modern Persian, the word Xšathra is called Shahrivar, and in Sanskrit, it is called Xšathra kšathra because there was a unique and complicated connection in Indo-Iranian religion in ancient times. In Indian religion, it means powerful, but in Iranian religion, this concept is much broader. In the light of good deeds and the divine power the divine rule is created in which Asha becomes victorious and human beings are saved from humiliation and misery. Zarathushtra wishes that all the people of the world carry on their activities and their lives under the rule of truthfulness and righteousness. It is only through the rule of righteousness that human beings are able to eliminate signs of destruction that stem from falsehood and replace wrong with right.
Xšathra vairya is the power of victory and self-rule. Xšathra vairya is the power that governs the emotions in the inner world of man. This word has been mentioned 62 times in the Gathas.
